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wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “truth”

wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →

For “truth”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 5 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.

wp.org search ranks on

Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.

We add

A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.

Ranked above its merit

Auto Focus Keyword for SEO shows at wp.org #6 but places #12 on merit, a gap of 6 places. Its 2K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 2 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.

Buried gem

Active Directory Integration / LDAP Integration places #2 on merit, 4.9★ from 211 reviews, but shows at wp.org #10. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.

merit plugin wp.org
1 SlingBlocks – Gutenberg Blocks by FunnelKit (Formerly WooFunnels) 6K+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #1 2 Active Directory Integration / LDAP Integration 4K+ · 4.9★ (211) wp.org #10 ↑1 8 too low 3 PayPal POS for WooCommerce 4K+ · 3.5★ (21) wp.org #2 1 too high 4 Oliver POS – WooCommerce POS for iPhone, iPad & Android 700+ · 4.2★ (90) wp.org #8 4 too low 5 Login with Vipps and MobilePay 900+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #3 2 too high 6 BotBlocker Security – Complete security platform 3K+ · 5.0★ (10) wp.org #5 1 too high 7 Custom Post Type WooCommerce Integration – Sell Any CPT with WooCommerce 300+ · 5.0★ (17) wp.org #16 9 too low 8 Truth 70+ · 4.0★ (9) wp.org #7 1 too high 9 ShareThis Follow Buttons 400+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #4 5 too high 10 Concord – Cookie Banner & Full Privacy Platform for Cookie Consent & GDPR/CCPA Compliance 100+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #13 3 too low 11 Repeaterly – ACF Repeater, Flexible Content & Dynamic Tags for Elementor 600+ · 5.0★ (5) wp.org #14 ↑1 3 too low 12 Auto Focus Keyword for SEO 2K+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #6 6 too high 13 Publish kintone data 50+ · 5.0★ (4) wp.org #15 ↓1 2 too low 14 SCIM User Sync/Provisioning 200+ · 5.0★ (6) wp.org #18 4 too low 15 Content Publisher for Confluence – Sync & Embed pages 50+ · 5.0★ (2) wp.org #9 6 too high 16 Formidable Forms Signature Online Contract Automation 200+ · 4.0★ (2) wp.org #17 1 too low 17 Payment Truth for WooCommerce — · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #11 ↓1 6 too high 18 AI Discovery Files – llms.txt & AI Visibility 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #12 6 too high 19 Business KPI Reporting Dashboard 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #21 ↑1 2 too low 20 Zware Automatic Social Posts and Login 40+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #23 3 too low 21 SEO'n'AI – Image Locator & Find Unused Images 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #19 2 too high 22 Smart Forms & Calculators By Embed Sheets 100+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #20 2 too high 23 gurado WebConnect – Gift Card & Voucher Shop for WordPress 60+ · 5.0★ (1) wp.org #22 ↓1 1 too high 24 Lokalise Companion Plugin 60+ · 0.0★ (0) wp.org #24

Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.